I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rotisseries and, in particular, to a barbeque apparatus in which food is adapted to be mounted and rotated above a source of heat.
II. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, food, such as a meat to be grilled, is generally placed on a spit which is rotatable to expose the meat to the heat in order to ensure uniform cooking of the same. In cooking large meats, such as a pig roast or a large side of beef, the spit may not be capable of rotatably supporting the meat to be grilled because of its shape. In many situations the spit is provided with forks that are carried by the spit and which pierce the opposite ends of the meat; however, after a considerable amount of rotation of the spit, the forks sometimes break loose of the meat and the meat fails to rotate, thus causing uneven heating and cooking of the same. In many applications the rotisseries are used in association with an outdoor barbeque pit in which charcoal is utilized as the means for heating the meat. In many situations it is difficult to control the temperature of the charcoal and it would be desirable to provide a means for adjusting the height of the meat with respect to the charcoal so as to control the rate at which the meat is cooked.
Many of the prior art devices suggest a variety of means for overcoming certain of the aforementioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,563,159 and 2,938,450 each disclose a rotatable cage member having a circular cross section which includes a concentric spit for mounting an animal or piece of meat thereon. The cage is rotatable about an underlying support stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,989 discloses a barbeque attachment having a rectangular cross section which includes a spit running therethrough for receiving objects thereon for barbequing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,993,607 and 3,103,161 are considered relevant to the present invention as disclosing rotatable barbeque apparatuses including cages having a circular or rectangular configuration, respectively. Other prior art patents of which applicant is aware include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,297,825, 3,344,736 and 3,797,379. These patents show other types of barbequing apparatuses which include means for supporting meat to be cooked for barbequing in which the apparatuses are rotatable above an underlying fire.
Other relevant art includes German Pat. No. 1,947,386 and U.S. Pat. No. 779,128.
None of the prior art patents disclose a barbeque or rotisserie which completely overcomes the aforementioned problems in that a simple means is provided for rotating the meat to be cooked at selected and varying heights from the open fire while the same is being rotated, nor do any of the prior art patents show a simple and effective means for securing the meat to the cradle which carries it above the open fire.